Nebula class
The Nebula-class was a type of Federation starship that was in service in Starfleet during the latter half of the 24th century. History Construction of the Nebula-class was spearheaded under the authority of the Yoyodyne Division, and ranged in construction dates from as early as 2363 to as late as 2367. Vessels including and where constructed at this time at both the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards and later the San Francisco Fleet Yards, orbiting Earth. ( dedication plaques) The mission profile of the Nebula-class varied from performing various scientific roles to conducting patrol and transport duties. ( ; set artwork; ) The Nebula-class was present in several major Federation engagements against the Borg, including the Battle of Wolf 359 and the Battle of Sector 001. ( ; ) They were also present in numerous Dominion War battles, including the Second Battle of Chin'toka and Battle of Cardassia. ( ) Technical data Design The Nebula-class shared a similar design lineage with its larger counterpart. ( , etc.) .}} The Nebula-class was composed of two hull sections; the saucer-shaped primary hull mounted atop the secondary hull, with two warp nacelles mounted on either side of the secondary hull, directly below the primary hull. ( , etc.) Atop the primary hull was a superstructure which could support a variety of modules, such as the inclusion of a triangular platform, fitted with torpedo launchers, an oval platform, or additional warp nacelles. ( ) s superstructure was, however, it may be connected with why the ship used a "high-energy sensor sweep." According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia, the superstructure was referred to as an "upper sensor pod."}} By 2375, the Nebula-class was reconfigured slightly to include more of a Galaxy-class style secondary hull and deflector dish. ( ) File:USS Sutherland.jpg|Triangular-shaped upper module File:USS Phoenix.jpg|Oval-shaped upper module File:USS Melbourne-dedication model.jpg|Warp nacelles in place of upper module File:Nebula class, the changing face of evil.jpg|Reconfigured hull By 2369, the Nebula-class served among historic model designs used in the classroom aboard Deep Space 9. ( ) Defensive systems The Nebula-class was equipped with "a huge arsenal", at least according to Cardassian Gul Macet, which included multiple phaser banks and torpedo launchers. The Nebula-class had a maximum effective weapons range that exceeded 300,000 kilometers. ( ) The typical offensive arsenal of the Nebula-class included a torpedo launcher located on the secondary hull above the deflector dish, and on some variants, a torpedo launcher located on the superstructure located above the primary hull. ( ; ) Phaser positions included the forward-most part of the primary hull, and on the secondary hull, below the deflector dish. ( ; ) While considered more than a match for a Cardassian supply ship, the Nebula-class was also capable of successfully withstanding a direct hit from a Cardassian warship, as a result of an unshielded attack. ( ) They were, however, unable to single-handedly withstand an assault from a wing of Cardassian destroyers. ( ) File:Nebula class, first contact.jpg|Secondary hull torpedo launcher File:USS Sutherland firing torpedoes.jpg|Superstructure torpedo launcher File:USS Bonchune fires forward phaser.jpg|Primary hull phaser File:USS Bellerophon fires forward phaser.jpg|Secondary hull phaser Some Nebula-class starships, including the Phoenix, used a "high-energy sensor sweep" that cycled every 5.5 minutes. Between each of those cycles, a "window" of a fiftieth of a second would open, requiring the ship's shields to be realigned. ( ) Propulsion systems The propulsion systems for the Nebula-class were constructed under the authority of Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems. ( dedication plaque) The engines of a Nebula-class needed to operate with a mixture above ninety percent in order to successfully leave orbit of a planet. Additionally, the starboard power coupling was located adjacent to decks ten through twelve. ( ) In 2370, the theoretical maximum speed for the warp drive of Nebula-class starships, including the was warp 9.5. When fine-tuned, the warp drive could be pushed to warp 9.6. ( ) By 2374, the was able to pursue and catch the , which was traveling at warp 9.9. ( ) In an alternate timeline, the ''Nebula-class was described as being "a lot faster" than a runabout.'' ( ) Auxiliary craft Nebula-class starships were equipped with a variety of auxiliary craft, including the type 6 and type 7 shuttlecraft, as well as the smaller type 15 shuttlepod, and other large shuttlecraft. ( ; ) Ships commissioned ;Named: * (NCC-62048) * (NCC-70915) * (NCC-60597) * (NCC-60205) * (NCC-70352) * * (NCC-61827) * (NCC-61826) * (NCC-65420) * (NCC-71201) * (NCC-72015) * ;Unnamed: *[[Unnamed Nebula class starships|Unnamed Nebula-class starships]] ;Uncertain: * (NCC-71805) * * * Appendices Appearances * ** ** (model) ** ** * ** ** (model) ** ** ** (model) ** ** ** (display graphic) ** ** ** ** ** ** * ** ** ** ** * Star Trek films: ** ** Background Aside from the dedication plaque reference in "Redemption II" and "Second Sight", the Nebula-class was referred to by name in "The Wounded", and "Non Sequitur". It was additionally referred to by name in the script notes for "Redemption II". The Nebula-class, in the form of the , appears in every title sequence of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from to . Studio models First appearing as prototype kitbash model in the debris field of , the design was upgraded to a full worthy studio model, to represent a major class of starship. As Michael Okuda explains on Doug Drexler's blog, "The original concept for the Nebula-class ship was to develop a design that was in the style that Andy Probert had so brilliantly established for the Enterprise-D. (You may recall that every other Federation starship in early TNG episodes was made with recycled movie ships.) Our initial hope was that Greg could use the same molds from the 4' Enterprise-D, but that he could add a bigger bridge and give it bigger windows. The idea was to suggest that this ship was a contemporary of the E-D, but it was a smaller vessel." http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/nebula-class/#comment-14903 The BoBW kitbash models Ed Miarecki designed and built two proto Nebula-class vessels to appear in the debris field of the episode. Okuda remembers, "Nebula''-class USS Melbourne. The original version of the Nebula. Ed made us two nearly-identical Melbourne models. I destroyed one of them to create a battle-damaged ship for BOBW2. (I recall being up in the art department one evening, Dremel tool in hand, cutting up the ship, while Patrick Stewart, in Borg costume, came upstairs to use the Xerox machine. He asked me what I was doing. I showed him the model and said something like, "See what you did!") Rick Sternbach helped with the battle damage, too. And Greg Jein contributed quite a bit of wreckage as well. The other Nebula model ended up on one of the side tables in Sisko's office in DS9. I think it was labeled "Melbourne," too."http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/okuda359.htm The models, built from parts of a model, differed from its later definitive appearance in that they sported two smaller warp nacelles where the sensor pod would be positioned and that the secondary hull was more elongated. Sisko's desk top model, representing the destroyed ''Melbourne was refitted with a sensor pod after its first appearance. For , the producers decided to use the more detailed studio model to represent the , thus robbing the proto-''nebula'' from its name and registry. Stock footage of the now nameless distressed model is present in the episode (seen in the window of Sisko's escape pod, just as it leaves the doomed ), making it the only model to appear in both depictions of the Battle of Wolf 359. The physical studio model The design upgrades for the Nebula-class were done by Mike Okuda and Rick Sternbach and the model was built by Gregory Jein. In Drexler's blog, Okada elaborates further: "As so often happens with this kind of project, we didn't give Greg enough time to accomplish this, so we decided to retain the original scale of the ''Galaxy-class ship saucer. I suggested the original 'AWACS' pod in response to a producer's observation that the ship might otherwise appear unbalanced. Unfortunately, the AWACS pod didn't look as elegant as we had hoped in . Rick Sternbach came to the rescue with the cool triangular pod that we used in later episodes." The time constraints could also explain why the is not equipped with reaction control thruster assemblies. As to the apparent lack of impulse thruster on the model Sternbach commented in the same blog, "''One of the rationalizations I imagined ages ago for having no obvious impulse grilles involved capturing and compressing the impulse fusion reaction exhaust and later releasing it from special non-propulsive ports. If the ''Nebula-class was employed in a stealthy surveillance mode, it would be smart to minimize all overboard emissions. Since most all 'modern' impulse engines involve little or no pure rocket thrust, but more of a sub-warp drive, one could say that the familiar orange Starfleet glowy exhausts could be modified or eliminated."http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/nebula-class/#comment-14934 The model was used extensively, redressed (mostly done by Drexler and Okuda) several times to represent multiple vessels in later seasons of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation and the first three seasons of Deep Space Nine. http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/art-dept-fleet-yard/ In 1994 the model underwent extensive refurbishment done at the Industrial Light & Magic workshop supervised by modeler John Goodson for . The model was totally stripped from its original paint scheme (white with duck-egg blue highlights) and a new more detailed paint scheme, necessary to meet big screen requirements, was applied (blue-grey with metallic blue highlights) to represent the (Cinefex, No.61, 1994, page 69). In its new livery the model was used to represent the , for the upgraded opening title sequence of the last four seasons of DS9. Since no dorsal shots were made for this sequence, the Farragut decals on top of the saucer were not replaced. The last time the model was shot, was for a battle scene in as an unnamed vessel (although the model was still wearing the Farragut/Leeds decals, the shot was composed in a way that name and registry were not discernible). As of mid-2009, the studio model, worn and showing its agehttp://www.st-bilder.de/Gallery/Modelle/Sternenflotte/Nebula/ has escaped the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection and It's A Wrap! sale and auctions, and is still in the possession of Paramount Pictures, having been on tour as late as 2008. The CG model For appearances in the later seasons of Deep Space Nine and Voyager a CGI model was built at Foundation Imaging by Robert Bonchune, making its debut in . For mapping the model Bonchune used high resolution pictures taken from the four-foot physical model of the . "I got to have as reference, sitting at the front of my desk, the actual filming miniature! It was a good 4 feet across. ''[Rem:Bonchune is still refering to the four-foot ''Galaxy-model, he did not have the original Nebula-class model at his disposal which goes a long way to explain the differences between the physical model and the CGI-model of the Nebula-class]'' In the effort to be expedient, I did "kitbash" existing parts of the CG Enterprise D, but it still needed completely new parts and major changes to existing maps to match the miniature," Bonchune remembers. (''Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models, No.32, 1998, page 54) The model differed slightly in appearance from the physical model in that both the center line section of the secondary hull and the saucer rim were slimmer, suggesting one deck less each. The most significant difference was the change of the shape of the deflector dish housing to an oval shape akin to the Galaxy-class. Technical Manual The following information of specifications and defenses comes exclusively from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual: * Production Base: ASDB Integration Facility, Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, Mars * Type: Explorer * Accommodation: 750 officers and crew; 130 visiting personnel; 9,800 personal evacuation limit * Power Plant: One 1,500 plus Cochrane warp core feeding two nacelles; one impulse system * Dimensions: Length, 442.23 meters; beam, 318.11 meters; height: 130.43 meters * Mass: 3,309,000 metric tonnes * Performance: Warp 9.6 for 12 hours (STD); warp 9.9 for 12 hours (UPRTD) * Armament: Eight type-10 phaser emitters; two photon torpedo launchers Apocrypha *A cross section and overview of the ship is given in issue 154 of Star Trek: Communicator, particularly focusing on the "USS Nebula (NCC-60147)." The cross section shows that the ship is capable of saucer separation, has eight type-X phaser arrays and three photon torpedo launchers, and a mass of 3,309,000 metric tonnes. One inconsistency among the graphics has the registry number "NCC-60000" on the nacelle wing. All artwork used was provided by Tim Earls. *The video games Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II depicts the Nebula-class with four weapons, one of which can replicate another ship, another can negate enemy torpedoes and enemy shields. *In the video game Star Trek: Bridge Commander, there are four Nebula-class vessels. Three of these, the USS Nightingale, USS Khitomer and USS Berkeley, appear to be made specifically for the game and do not appear anywhere in Star Trek canon. The fourth Nebula-class vessel featured in the game is actually a canon ship, the USS Prometheus (NCC-71201), though it is the only one that doesn't play an important role in the game. *In "Star Trek: The Next Generation - Birth of the Federation" the Nebula class is the Strike Cruiser of the Federation; a short range combat mostly intended for planetary bombardment. External links * * * cs:Třída Nebula de:Nebula-Klasse es:Clase Nebula ja:ネビュラ級 nl:Nebula klasse Category:Federation starship classes